FIFA, IOC Face Greater Scrutiny After Swiss Tighten Rules
Corruption Scandals
In May, the legal committee of Parliament’s lower house approved a proposal to expand Swiss banks’ scrutiny of accounts and transfers to include international sporting organizations.
The legislation comes in the wake of a series of corruption scandals that have tarnished the image of FIFA. Last year senior executives, including former President Joao Havelange, were named in a report as recipients of illicit payments by its former marketing partner.
Last month FIFA released a summary of a report into the awarding of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar. Investigator Michael Garcia disputed the synopsis, which found no grounds to reopen the bidding process. FIFA has declined to publish the full report though it has handed it to Swiss prosecutors to probe possible criminal charges.
Pieth said proposals for new anti-bribery legislation that would make bribes paid or received by private individuals or companies a criminal act could have an even bigger effect on the soccer organization than today’s vote.
“They are saying, ‘put it plainly in the criminal code and make prosecution mandatory,’” he said. “The real FIFA Law is actually going to come in January or February.”